FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
17 June 2009
After four years of investigation, the president broke the silence on the alleged killing of the eight bodies of the Ghanaian nationals.
The UN fact finding mission, according to the GRTS interview, has exonerated the Gambia either directly or indirectly from the alleged killing of the Ghanaians nationals. Here is full text of the entire interview.
"First of all, I thank the Almighty Allah who will always make sure that the truth will prevail. This is one very sad episode. First of all, you can remember that the issue of the Ghanaians whose bodies were found around Ghana Town; it was my government that reported it. We called the community in Ghana Town to go and identify them. They said they cannot identify them; they don't even know who they are. But originally when the matter was reported to me what I thought was maybe it was ritual killings, because at that time also there were some cases going on in Ghana of ritual killing. There were a lot of rumours of some strange rituals.
The other thing that came to my mind was that they were all predominantly fishermen, they might have had a fight at sea or somewhere and this people were killed there.
So, it was not only the Ghanaian community who were invited to go and identify them, but also we invited all African missions in the Gambia; all African diplomats in the Gambia. The reason why we did not call others is because the bodies were all blacks, Africans. So we invited all African diplomatic representations in The Gambia, including honourary counsels representing other countries here in The Gambia to go and identify them.
I insisted that I think they must be Ghanaians. The guy said we cannot identify them because they did not even have any papers. I said to the guy but you should be able to identify them, because you, as Ghanaians, you should be able to have certain features and the guy said Mr. President we cannot identify these people; we cannot say whether they are from Ghana or even Gambians.
So anyway, nobody could identify them. Then I said if we took them to the mortuary and still allow the public to go and identify them, maybe one or two people would be identified and it did not happen and up to two weeks. In fact, they should be buried after nine (9) days according to the law. I extended it to another two weeks, nobody could identify them until the security services told me look we have even the then minister of Justice who said we have gone beyond the limit; still they could not be identified. They have to be buried and also they occupied space in the mortuary. He said that others do not have space in the mortuary because of the presence of these eight bodies.
I said ok, now you can go and bury them, since nobody could identify them. After when they were buried, I remember I was on holidays in Kanilai, in 2005, when I was told that the president of Ghana wanted to send a special envoy and is very urgent. So I was worried as to what was going on because myself and Kufuor, are best of friends and we consult each other in a number of issues. So I was wondering since everybody was told that I am on leave, what would be so urgent that he has to send the then Foreign Minister (Ghana).
I said ok. I came down to Banjul only to be told by the then Foreign Minister that Ghana got a report that the government of The Gambia is killing Ghanaians. I looked at him and said 'is this a joke?'. He said we are serious that 150 Ghanaians have been hunted and killed by The Gambia government. I looked at him and said I think one of you must be sick to think that The Gambia government will hunt 150 Ghanaians and kill them. And he said in fact all together the number is (168)158, when included 150 Ghanaians and 8 Nigerians. I said 'where?' He said this is what we have been told by the eye witnesses at the killing. I said good. Maybe there might be eye witnesses, but all I know is that 8 bodies were found around Ghana Town and that is what I know. But the 150 you are talking about, you have to get the person who was there, and where did they come from. What have they done in fact that will make us to kill them just like that? You think this is a government of bandits? I cautioned him and I told him look, 'you have to be careful of what you read in the internet and all there are exaggerations. What we know is only 8 bodies and the government did not hide anything about that, this and this and that.' I told him 'well go and find out I don't think this is correct. What we know is that when the bodies were found, there was a group of nine buses that came from Senegal of Ghanaians and Nigerians. What we know they cross Amdalai and we told them to send them back. That is what I know. So if 150 Ghanaians were killed, where were they killed? Where did they come from? They said they came from Senegal to do what in the Gambia? They said they were on their way to Europe. I told them in fact the normal routine is that Gambians go to Senegal to take boats to go to Spain, not the other way round. Gambia is not a transit point to Europe by those who go by sea.' So anyway, then the case was being blown out of proportion saying this and this and that and investigations had to be carried out. You told me that they came from Senegal. Now you have to tell me that 'What where they doing in Senegal? How did they come to Gambia?' He said they came by boat. Up to today they did not give us the name of the boat that brought them, who was the captain of the boat that brought them, and all we were told was one Mr. Kofi of Togolese/Ghanaian origin was responsible for the groups coming to The Gambia. Up to today, even the UN could not know who Mr. Kofi is. And I told them 'well if that is the case, you have to find out from Senegal where you have got the information from. Who brought them and why? What were they doing in Senegal and what were they doing in The Gambia? And the boat that brought them and for what purpose?
I told him 'look unless you give us this information, we are not going to cooperate for you to investigate and it will start from Senegal.' That was the time the border closure between the Gambia and Senegal happened and it was also a campaign against the Gambia to host the 2006 AU Summit. Not only that, but also for me to be chairman of ECOWAS and that time my best ally in West Africa was Mauritania and Ghana and so killing of the Ghanaians will create problems between me and Ghana.
So anyway, things were dragging on, and I told them unless you start the investigation from Senegal, we are not going to cooperate. We have to know what they were doing in The Gambia. Who brought them? And also why was it at the time of our July 22nd celebration, as you alleged.
Anyway, it was going up and down and I realised that the then Foreign Minister has a political ambition and was supporting Ghana that the government of the Gambia has something to hide. I made it very clear that only an idiot will think that the government of the Gambia kills people and do not even know where to hide them to the extent that some idiots are putting it on the internet that we were hiding them at "Coloban". There is no place called 'Coloban' in The Gambia, and there is one who said he excaped from 'Coloban' and ran up to 'Bungkiling'. The so-called eyewitness said in fact, they were in the ferry and he could hear communication between the navy and the ferry. I said well so he had a communication device let him come and give what he had. But anyway up to today they did not bring that eye witness. But the bottom line is we have no cause to kill anybody. And then strangely enough, I said let the case go to ECOWAS. The case went to ECOWAS and people suggested that the then Foreign Minister of Ghana has political ambition to become president started to sign and say Gambia should accept the killing and just pay compensation. I said if that is the case we are not going to pay a dime for compensation; to compensate for what?
I said if that is the case that you want to play about with the whole scenario, then you are making a great mistake. As far as I know you wanted to use this as politics so as to contest for the next presidential election. I will tell you if that is the case, you are not going to win the election. And what is even more important is that we have nothing to hide. But now since this is situation some people are just suggesting 'Oh! Gambia should just admit the situation that they died in the Gambia but the government did not know anything about it, but should just accept the compensation'. I said 'to accept compensation means an acceptance of guilt. If you don't know the law, I know the law. I did not study the law, but I know the law to the letter. Compensate for what?' They said so that we can close the chapter. I said 'No, there must be a thorough investigation and since the ECOWAS did not want to start the investigation where it should, that is Senegal, where these people allegedly came from, we are not going to cooperate.'
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